It's gonna rain . . . Isolated vs scattered and viewing radar on your smartphone tip

Expidia

Commander
Joined
Aug 26, 2006
Messages
2,328
Many ponder this question when there is rain in the forecast. Everyone should decide on their own risk level of outdoor fun.

From my many years of boating as example when the forcast predicts a 30% chance of rain. Well to me, thats a 70% chance that it wont rain where I am. I have an bimini that I can pop up plus a 3 sided enclosure in a zipperd bag that I keep onboard for those times I'm going to get caught in a rain strorm.

Weather tools are getting much better too. First I listen or read the latest forecast on the web before leaving my house. I don't think I've had to open the enclosure for the past two years though as seeing the storms approaching the area that I'm in now on my smartphone has been a real boon to be able to avoid them completely or out run the isolated slow moving ones and relocate on a different section of the lake if I'm on a big enough lake.

I'm real careful about the type of rain predicted though before I leave the house. And if showers are in the forecast I also dont venture far away from where I launched. if I see clouds forming or cells coming in my direction when I check www.radar.weather.gov on my smartphone I can get back to the launch quick enough to pull the boat and get the cover on.

I want to leave myself enough time before I'm caught with my feet in the water cranking an aluminum boat onto an aluminum trailer during a lightning type thunderstorm.

I also find the mornings and early afternoons are less likely to produce severe thunderstorms as they seem to usually hit in later afternoon on those real humid days, as that moist hot air rises and hits the cooler upper air it can get ugly.

Also, the type of storms predicted is important to me. Seems Isolated is better than Scattered as the linked article below points out that scattered can engulf a big region and keep turning on and off sometimes for days with periods of sunshine in between just to fool Ya as you launch again and a few minutes later whamo!

Isolated can be a brief shower once or twice in a certain area and the rest of my day might be fine. Since I trailer, I also have the luxury of checking the weather and if there is inclement weather or higher winds predicted north of me, we head south if thats better weather.

Regions like FL where its so humid it seems to rain on and off many times. Since there can be a higher a percentage of rain in the forecast, if you dont learn to read the weather you would never go boating much there. I've been in several severe lightning storms in FL and was dumb and clueless enough to depend on an inexperienced captains both times.

But I like to see here in the northeast 0 to 30% chance of rain in the forecast before I leave my house and won't go if they are predicting severe thunderstorms or lightning. When looking at the radar map cells in yellow, red etc can be severe. if there is a certain color square (see legend at bottom of weather.radar.gov) around certain cells it can also indicate conditions are good for a tornado!

A smartphone with a data plan has become an indispensable accessory for boaters and is a wise investment. The higher the color is on the scale on the right in this example the worse the weather under that colored cell is going to be and time to pull that anchor. They usually pass pretty quickly and I'm in the safety of my car which is on rubber tires. Be sure to pull your car into a clearing awaiting out a storm because if wind or lightning takes a tree or big branch down upon your car or boat on the trailer . . . Its gonna leave a mark :D




Also, here is a link to an explanation of isolated vs scattered:

http://www.aerostorms.com/scattered-...he-difference/
 
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midcarolina

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Jul 16, 2013
Messages
631
I had a old biker tell me a long long time ago..........If you listen to the weather man you won't ever leave the house!

He suggested that I get an ancient Indian weather rock........ seeing I was perplexed he explained how it has worked for thousands of years....

He instructed me to put the weather rock outside my bedroom window.......He said when I wake up reach out the window and feel the rock, he said if the rock's wet it's raining.....If the rock is cold it's chilly out and if it feels hot well it's hot out............Ah ha! the simpler way's of times gone by.........:D
 

Expidia

Commander
Joined
Aug 26, 2006
Messages
2,328
I had a old biker tell me a long long time ago..........If you listen to the weather man you won't ever leave the house!

He suggested that I get an ancient Indian weather rock........ seeing I was perplexed he explained how it has worked for thousands of years....

He instructed me to put the weather rock outside my bedroom window.......He said when I wake up reach out the window and feel the rock, he said if the rock's wet it's raining.....If the rock is cold it's chilly out and if it feels hot well it's hot out............Ah ha! the simpler way's of times gone by.........:D


:rain:
 

dingbat

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Nov 20, 2001
Messages
15,417
I had a old biker tell me a long long time ago..........If you listen to the weather man you won't ever leave the house!

An approaching frontal boundary might keep me at the dock but I don't think twice about going in the rain, or snow, for that matter.

Low pressure setting over a body of water more often than not, brings dead calm seas. Flats seas and the fair weather boaters sitting at home watching TV. What better time to go boating? :laugh:
 
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